In the past 10 Days I have shared a Western Meadowlark and a Sage Thrasher perched on Sagebrush and today I am posting a Willet perched on Big Sagebrush. On Antelope Island State Park western Willets breed in the semiarid grasslands that also include sagebrush, rabbitbrush and greasewood and during the early part of the breeding season the Willets can often be found perched on top of these shrubs to rest, preen and call. Though western Willets are not sagebrush obligates they do use sagebrush for cover from predators as do many other species of birds, mammals and reptiles.

This Willet perched on the sagebrush just a few feet from the road and called once before taking off to land on the other side of the road in the grasses.

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I always have trouble identifying birds when I met known birds in a new area or habitat. The first time I saw a willet in a sagebrush, I had to spend many minutes figuring out what it was. We see those western willets in Texas in the winter when they are mostly unmarked and pale. So he was both out of habitat and in disguise.